I came across this short list of ways to attract your YA audience, or 5 Rules for Writing YA. The rules are:
- Convince the reader that the protagonist is one of them
- Don’t speak down to your readers
- Read YA novels
- Don’t worry over whether your book will have commercial appeal. Write first, then figure out how to sell it
- Forge new paths – don’t be afraid to cross boundaries or create fresh content.
I think the rule I have the hardest time following is the 4th one. I find myself worrying about commercial appeal way too much. I know commercial appeal means nothing if you don’t have a product to sell, but I always come back to the nagging question: “What if I write it and no one wants to buy it?” The truth is, even if no one wants my book now, they may want it in the future since markets are not static. Trends come and go all the time.
Which rules do you have trouble following? Can you think of any additional rules?
